Your organization has played an important part in Summer Dreamers, giving Pittsburgh Public Schools students unique learning experiences that help to expand their horizons and build on the lessons of the classroom.

So we wanted to let you know right away - this morning, The Wallace Foundation and The RAND Corporation released the latest findings from the National Summer Learning Project, the groundbreaking study launched in 2011 in which Pittsburgh and four other districts played an essential role.

We're excited to report the key research findings, which confirm what we've always suspected: voluntary summer learning programs operated by public school districts can improve the knowledge and skills that students need to succeed in school; and, high attendance is crucial to delivering benefits.

The study analyzed outcomes for nearly 3,200 students nationwide, including many from Summer Dreamers, all of whom were in the 3rd grade in the spring of 2013. They were selected to participate in summer learning programs in summer 2013 and summer 2014. The findings released today show that high-attenders benefited in math after one summer, and benefited in math and reading after the second summer. The benefits after the second summer were equivalent to between 20-25 percent of a year's learning in math and reading. (These new findings build on earlier findings released late in 2014, which showed gains in math after the first summer among the group of all students offered access to the program.)

THANK YOU for your hard work and involvement in Summer Dreamers, and for your contributions towards these outcomes. You and your staff played a key role in these results! We appreciate all that you have done to ensure that our students benefit from a high quality summer learning experience.

Attached below is a draft of some content you can post on your website, and be sure that you are following @WallaceFdn, @RANDCorporation, @PPSnews, and using #pghsummer16 and #learningfromsummer to share this great news!

Elementary school students with high attendance at public school summer learning programs benefit in math and reading, according to a new national study. High attendance was defined as at least 20 days of a 5-6 week program.

Pittsburgh Public Schools was one of five urban school districts taking part in the study, which was conducted by The RAND Corporation and supported by The Wallace Foundation. [Name of organization] was a partner, [description of enrichment activity/partnership].

The study is the largest ever conducted of summer learning programs. Results are based on an analysis of outcomes for nearly 3,200 students nationwide. The benefits for high-attending students after the second summer are equal to about 20 to 25 percent of typical annual gains in math and reading. There is also evidence that students benefit in social and emotional skills, as well, though the researchers cannot be as confident that these benefits are most likely due to the program.

This study, published in the new RAND report, Learning from Summer: Effects of Voluntary Summer Programs on Low-Income Youthwww.wallacefoundation.org/learningfromsummer, makes it clear: summer can be a time for students to have fun and get ready for academic success.